Rule published on waiver for states to implement their own health plans

HHS published a proposed rule on the waivers authorized by the ACA which allow states in 2017 to implement their own plans to achieve health reform as long as it achieves the same level of coverage expansions and affordability as the ACA. This would allow the states to waive requirements that individuals must have and employers must provide health insurance or make other changes. The President also announced his support for legislation to move the date forward to 2014. Critics of the law have criticized this attempt at state flexibility because the states would still have to have the plans approved by HHS and they would still have to meet the standards set by law.